----- Original Message ----- From: "Al" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Hardware List" <hardware@hardwaregroup.com> Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2005 9:00 PM Subject: Re: [H] activation of XP questions
This doesn't work, or at least It didn't work for me. The ID number (the one you give MS) is different every time, making the number MS gives you different, every time.
Let's think about this. The main reason activation has failed for me was due to some goofball thing the computer manufacturer did when they first installed Windows. Usually the problem is they use a different Product Key than the Product Key on the COA they affix to the computer. The computer technician who is doing a clean install seldom is the person who first installed Windows so he never had the chance to use your procedure.
Since I never have an activation problem when I format and do a clean install on a computer I built, I reach the following conclusion. Let's say there have been no hardware changes to the computer and activation fails and you have to call Microsoft. I know of only two possible reasons for this. If you know of more, please tell us. 1. The computer manufacturer used a different Product Key to install Windows than the one on the COA they affixed to the computer. 2. Perhaps Microsoft sees that somebody is circumventing the manufacturer's recovery arrangement by doing a format and clean install.
Have any of you white box manufacturers had any activation problems on installs you did months or years after you built and sold the computer? If not, I rest my case!
Chuck
